Each day for the next two weeks, we’ll review how each position group performed in 2014 and take an early look at 2015. Today we’ll examine the cornerbacks. On Friday the series will wrap up with the safeties.

Cornerback

Breakdown of starts: Dwayne Gratz (13), Demetrius McCray (12), Alan Ball (7), Will Blackmon (4), Sherrod Martin (2), Aaron Colvin (1)

Recap: For much of the season, coach Gus Bradley talked about being pleased with the tightness of the coverage on the outside, but wanted to see the cornerbacks compete more, meaning he wanted to see them break up more passes. The cornerbacks combined for 17 of the team’s 49 pass breakups, led by Gratz’s nine. McCray and Ball, who started the first seven games and then missed the rest of the season with a biceps tear, had three each and Colvin had two. The corners only picked off two passes, one each by Gratz and Ball. Gratz struggled early in the season and got taken out the starting lineup at left cornerback. However, he was back as the starter at right cornerback for the final nine games after Ball went on IR. The biggest surprise of the season was how well McCray played. Though the 2013 seventh-round draft pick didn’t make many plays on the ball, he did well in coverage. For example, he helped hold Antonio Brown, the league’s leading receiver in catches (122) and yards (1,698), to five catches for 84 yards. Colvin finally got on the field for the final six games after recovering from a torn ACL he suffered in January and he made an immediate impact, returning a fumble for a touchdown against the New York Giants in his second game.

Looking ahead to 2015

Players under contract: Blackmon, Gratz, Colvin, McCray, Tommie Campbell, Jeremy Harris, Rashaad Reynolds, Peyton Thompson, Deion Belue

The skinny: Colvin and McCray project to be the starters, with Gratz as the nickelback. Blackmon had been the team’s nickelback before suffering a fractured finger and missing the final nine games, so his roster spot could be in jeopardy, though he’s a valuable asset in the meeting room and locker room and it would be good to have a veteran presence (he’ll be in his ninth season) at the position. The Jaguars like Reynolds, but he’s going to have an uphill battle to find playing time. The rest will have to stick as special-teamers.